Hein Schumacher named as new CEO of Unilever, to take charge from July 1

Hein Schumacher will take over as the CEO of Unilever from July 1, 2023. This has been announced by the global conglomerate today. Schumacher is currently serving as a Non-Executive Director of Unilever PLC, apposition he was appointed to in October 2022. He is a member of the Audit Committee.

Schumacher will take charge from Alan Jope. Lope was appointed as Unilever CEO in January 2019. He had joined Unilever in the UK in 1985. In September 2022, Unilever had stated that Jope would be retiring in 2023.

Prior to joining Unilever, Schumacher was CEO of Koninklijke FrieslandCapina NV. He has been CEO of Royal FrieslandCampina, an €11 billion  business operating in over 40 countries – and with products sold in over 100 - since January 2018. During this time, he has delivered significant portfolio and organisation change as part of transforming it into a more focused, growth-driven and sustainable business. Prior to his appointment as CEO, Schumacher was Royal Friesland Campinas’s Chief Financial Officer for three years.

Prior to joining Royal FrieslandCampina, Schumacher worked for H.J. Heinz for over a decade. In 2008 he was appointed Chief Strategy Officer, before moving to China in 2011 as its President and CEO. In 2013, he was appointed Executive Vice President of Kraft Heinz’s Asia Pacific Zone and led a successful turnaround of the business, which spanned China, Indonesia, India, Japan and Oceania.

Earlier in his career, Schumacher  had worked in finance as Corporate Controller, Asia and Central America for Royal Ahold NV. Interestingly, Schumacher had begun his career at Unilever.